By James E. Jennings* ATLANTA, USA | 9 December 2024 (IDN) — In American slang, “the big enchilada” means something of supreme importance, more than any other item among a slew of alternatives. Historical comparisons over long millennia in the Middle East show that Syria, not Iraq or Palestine, is the keystone of the Fertile […]
Syrian President’s Ouster Ends a 14-Year-Old Rebellion Against a Dictatorial Regime
By Thalif Deen UNITED NATIONS | 9 December 2024 (IDN) — The overnight ouster of Syria’s President Bashar al-Assad, who fought a relentless battle against home-grown rebels, has generated a positive but cautious response from the highest echelons of the United Nations. In a statement immediately following Assad’s ouster on December 8, Secretary-General Antonio Guterres […]
Syria: UN Relocates Non-critical Staff — Report Unveils Torture in Detention Centres
By J Nastranis NEW YORK | 8 December 2024 (IDN) — More than 300,000 people have been displaced in northwest Syria in recent days following the sudden and massive offensive into Government-controlled areas led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), which is sanctioned by the UN Security Council as a terrorist group. According to the United […]
Tanzania President Steps in to Cure Maasai Wounds in Ngorongoro
By Kizito Makoye NGORONGORO, Tanzania | 8 December 2024 (IDN) — On the rolling plains of Ngorongoro, 74-year-old Maria Shauri knelt among a sea of red, blue, and purple shawls, her arms raised in prayer. “God, hear us,” she muttered, her breath visible in the cold air. Each word escaped her lips in a puff […]
Two Words Stick as Nepal PM Goes to China for Connectivity Assistance
By Kalinga Seneviratne Bangkok | 7 December 2024 (IDN) — Breaking with tradition, Nepal’s recently re-elected Prime Minister Sharma Oli, a Communist politician, visited China from 2 to 5 December in a bid to add new momentum to growing trends in the landlocked Himalayan nation to diversify its connectivity to the outside world via railways […]
Namibia Elects First Female President Despite Loss of Trust in SWAPO
By Hajo Lanz* This article was issued by IPS-Journal. WINDHOEK, Namibia | 7 December 2024 (IDN) — Following the presidential and parliamentary elections on 27 November 2024, the South West Africa People’s Organisation (SWAPO) will once again form the government of Namibia and maintain its absolute majority in parliament. The current Vice President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah […]
Israeli-Palestinian Conflict: Right to Statehood or Recipe for Next Inferno
By Dr Alon Ben-Meir* NEW YORK | 7 December 2024 (IDN) — Trump, who wants an end to the Israeli-Hamas war even before he reassumes the Presidency, must know that denying the Palestinian right to statehood and conceding further Palestinian land in the West Bank and Gaza to Israel is a recipe for the next […]
Berlin Conference: Colonial Legacy Continues 140 Years Later
By Abayomi Azikiwe* From 15 November 1884 until 26 February 1885, the Berlin West Africa Conference was held in Germany where numerous European states convened to carve up the continent based upon their own economic interests. DETROIT, USA | 6 December 2024 (IDN) — Commonly known as the Berlin Conference, the gathering marked the consolidation […]
Diego Garcia Asylum Seekers Celebrate Arrival in UK
By Jacob Goldberg* The New Humanitarian issued this article, and it is being republished with their permission. BANGKOK | 6 December 2024 (IDN) — Dozens of Sri Lankan Tamil asylum seekers arrived in the UK this week, ending a three-year legal battle to avoid being deported by British authorities from Diego Garcia, a British-held militarised […]
UNHCR Hits a Record USD 1.5 Billion in Early Funding to Support Refugees
By Thalif Deen UNITED NATIONS | 4 December 2024 (IDN) — As humanitarian emergencies in the Middle East and Africa keep escalating—including in Gaza, Lebanon, Sudan and most recently in Syria—there was a glimmer of hope to millions starved of food and deprived of shelter and medication in war zones. According to the Office of […]